Technology Innovation in Urban Transit System and its Project Development of the Small Size Subway System with Linear Induction Motor

摘要

In the 1960's, Osaka City started the investigation for miniaturizing the subway for the purpose of developing an intermediate capacity transit system along the Line No. 1, which was most crowded. Subway construction cost was rising. In 1977, the construction cost of subway tunnel was more than US$70 million per km. In those days, the subway network in Osaka City was far from satisfactory and expanding the subway network became difficult due to the high cost of construction. With this background, the city investigated to miniaturize the subway to construct it at lower cost and to utilize the underground space effectively in the metropolitan area. The city pursued the most minimized subway with all facilities minimized technically. This paper covers the development of the most miniaturized and economical subway system using the Linear Induction Motor (LIM). This small-sized subway could be built within 80% of the conventional subway system cost with the same passenger capacity.